Improvement in safety-switches



yl. n' ESheetS--Sheet' 1. sAxBY & J. s. FARMER.

Safety-Swtc s. E I i: 910.131,78, i C Patented ocr. 1, 872 i; q

` I 7J" NU' W 1 E s f E@ :E M E UNI-.TEDLiSWTATEs 4jElFrENfr OFFICE.

JOHN sAXBYnND JOHN sTINsoN FARMER, oF KILBUEN, NEAE LONDON, l 1 aENGLAND.

l` IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY-SWITCHES.`

` `To all whomftntay concern:

. Beit known that we, .TOEN SAXBY and JOHN STNSON FARMEmof Kilburn, nearLondon,

England, haveinv'ented certain Improvements in Signal and SwitchApparatus, and apparatus for workingand locking or securing railwaypoints and- 'signalshof which the following is a specification:

`Nature and Objects of the Invention.

f Our invention is an improvement in switching apparatus,`designed `forpreventing certain accidents that occur at the points or junction of oneline of rails with another. Sometimes, owing to expansion or contractionof rods, looseness of joints, or other causes, the

`shifting points of the rails do not receive the necessary amount ofmovement from the lever that `Works them, and thus when that 1ever ispulled over to its full extent it happens that the points are notbrought home to the rails, and that the flanges of wheels Iwhich have topass the points catch on them or between them and the rails. lIn such acase, notwithstanding that the signals may be connected by lockingapparatus to the point-levers, a safetysignal may be given even when thepoints are in an unsafe condition. Again, it may happen that whileatrain is passing over the points, these points may be shiftedintentionally or inadvertently, and thus part of a train maybe guidedonto one line and part onto another, tearing the train asunder andthrowing the carriages off the line. Now, our apparatus, constructed ashereinafter described, will move the points against the rails and holdthem there securely during the passage of a train;` also prevent asignal from being given for either line unless the points are properlyset for that line and properly secured. Should.

a train approach the points before they are brought home to." theirproper position the approach of .that train is made to brin gthepointshome and secure them in position before the "front wheels of the trainreach the points. The invention consists in the combination of blocks.

having inclined or wedge-shaped sides, with rock-shaft andconnecting-ro'dsfor moving and `locking the jointed or switch rails, andin the arrangement of albar pivoted to the side of one of therails, forlocking the switch railsA or points during the passage of a train, allas hereinafter described.

Descriptionof Sheets 1, 2, 3, and 4.

In the accompanying four sheets of drawing, we have illustrated ourpresent invention,

and therein and thereby shown its application under differentcircumstances, and such modications in the details thereof, as underordinary circumstances, render it applicable to "ordinary junctions orat the crossings of or connection of one pair of rails.

In Sheet l, Figure 1 is a Aplan view, and Fig. 2 an elevation, of Fig.l, showing a main line and crossing to a'branch line, to which ourinvention is applied, and which is thereon shown; and for the purpose ofmaking more clear the mechanical arrangements and disposition of theparts of the apparatus, we have shown in Fig. 3 a sectional View takenon the line A B of Fig. 1, and by Fig. 4 a section taken on the line O Dof Fig. l; and furtherlnore by Fig. 5, in which a section taken on theline E F of Fig. l is shown, by which, together with the other Figs. 1,2, and'3, it will pair of rails with another .be seen that thereciprocating bar or rail mounted on radiuses is placed outside one ofthe rails, so that when it is in an elevated 4or raised position. thetreads of the wheeltires of the passing train would act upon it,- andcause it to operate upon and completely close and secure the points intooneposition or the other, in accordance with the prearrangement anddisposition thereof; and until the last wheels of the train have passedover the reciprocating bar it is prevented from rising and the positionof the points cannot be changed.

In Sheet2Fig. l is a plan view, and Fig.

2, a longitudinal section taken on the line A Y B of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is asection taken on'the line C D of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a section taken onthe line E F of Fig. l; and Fig. 5 is a section taken on an enlargedscale (of six times that of Fig. 1) on the line G H. It will be seenthat in this sheet thereciprocating` bar is placed inside of the rail,so that the iianges'of theV wheels ofthe passing train act upon itand(if not completely depressed) cause it to act upon and completely andfirmly secure the points in the fver has been moved over for the purposeof changing the position of the points and directing the movement of thetrain in manner be-y fore described.

In Sheet 3, Fig. l is a plan view; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section ofFig. 1 taken on the line A B thereof; Fig. 3 is a section taken on theline C D of Fig. l; Fig. et isasection taken on the line 'E F of Fig. 1;and Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line G H of Fig.1, in which, as in Sheet 2, the reciprocating bar or rail is placedinside of the main rail, and if it be not completely depressed it willbe operated upon by the Iianges of the wheels of the trains, and thepoints, after they 7'have been moved over by the hand-lever, will bebolted or wedgedrmly, and secured against the face of the permanentrail. Thus, unless the movement of the point-lever has completely openedor closed the points and completed the movement of the reciprocatingbar, wedging and locking the points firmly in their proper positions,the signal for the passage of the train connected or interlockingtherewith cannot possibly be given.

In Sheet 4, Fig. 1 is, as before, a plan view; Fig. 2, a longitudinalsection of Fig. 1 taken on the line A B; Fig. 3, a section taken on theline C D; Fig. 4, a section on the line E F; and Fig. 5, a sectionalview to an enlarged scale, taken on the line G H, the reciprocating barbeing, as in the sheets 2 and 3, shown as 7itted on. the inside of therail for the purpose of being acted upon and held down or controlled bythe flanges of the wheels instead of by the treads of the wheel-tires,as in Sheet 1.

In Sheets 1,2, and 3, the plan views, (Fig. 1 in each case,) show thepoints so adjusted as to leave them right for the train passing alongthe main line, the upper surface of the reciprocating bar being in suchcase shownA below the horizontal level to which it could be depressed bythe passing train, and in which position the bolt or bolts, wedge orwedges, employed for securing in the opened or closed y position (as thecase may be) the point or tongue of the switch, are there shown aseffecting that object.

In Sheet 1, a, e Src., are the rails of the main line, and b b, Src.,are the rails of the branch line; c c, &c., are the pieces of taperrails or switch points hinged or jointed at their broad ends,respectively, or working on pivots abutting upon'the ends of thepermanent rails in the usual manner. These two taper pieces of rail aresecured together at the requisite gage or distance apart by means of abar or stay piece, d. The switch-points c o, are caused to move back andforth upon bearing-chairs through or by means of a rod, bellcrank,A andlever, or any of the well-known mechanical contrivances, in the ordinaryway.

The point-lever, which may be in the signalbox or elsewhere, isconnected to and with the points, through the rods h and la, which arejointed or connected together at i, thebell-crank gbeing employed tochange the direction of mot-ion or movement, as shown, and the rod f isconnected at one end to the bell-crank, and at the other end to thepoints. On the outside ofthe rail the reciprocating-barmis shown withthe radial links a n connected to the rail. These are shown in thedepressed position or the position in which they are at rest or out ofaction. The mode of mounting or fitting and applying the reciprocatingbar and the connccting-links to the side of the fixed rail,A is shown toan enlarged scale in Fig. 5. Between the jointed ends of the rods lo andh, connecting the point-lever with the points, is shown a shortlever-arm iitted upon the end of a vibrating shaft, p p, which extendsacross the road from the line of the rodsk h on to the six-foot space.This vibrating shaft p is carried in bearin gs q q, and it has keyed orotherwise fixed upon it three other short vibrating arms or levers, r r1r2, the arm r being connected to the reciprocating bar m. When the armr1 operates by means of a rod, s, the traversing wedge piece t and r is,by means of the rod s', connected with or to the traversingwedge t thusthe wedge piece t is employed for iirmly securing in position the pointsfor the main-line traffic, and the wedge piece t is employed for firmlysecuring the points in the proper position for turning the train oiffrom the main line on the branch line; but though the two wedge piecesare in this case moved by or through the movements of the same rod asthat by which the points are moved from one position to another, theactual wedging up of the tongue of the switch against the inside of thefixed or permanent rail, does not take place until the points have beenmoved over as far as the lever-action will carry them, or until afterthe points have been moved from one position into the other, by means ofthe point-lever, wherever it may be placed and worked from.

In Sheet 1 two wedges, t t', are shown as being connected to and workedby means of reversed lever-arms fitted upon the shaft pp, so that as theone wedge piece is moved forward the other wedge piece iscorrespondingly withdrawn, and vice versa; and while the wedging up ofone tongue or point against the permanent rail is effected by the onetraversing-wedge piece, the opening between the point and the side orface of the other wedge piece or block workin g against the inner faceof the other rail, leaves sufficient space for the movement of the othertongue or point to be moved or opened to the full extent.

In Sheet 2 one wedge only is shown, and it is formed on or securelyconnected to one end of the reciprocating bar m, and this wedge piece talternately operates upon each side of one of the tongues or points c.It is shown on the plan view, Fig. 1, clear of the points, and when itis brought into action by the movement of the lever connected to it, it

i for the branch or main lines.

wedges the points close home to ,the rail In this instance thereciprocatingbar is fitted on the inner face of the rail.` l The rodsand connection for working the points and those for operating the wedgepiece may `be worked from any Convenient position, and in thisVarrangement or modication, as in that shown in Sheet l, the interlockinggear .or apparatus may be applied thereto in yan y of the well-knownmethodsheretofore employed for locking some and unlocking other of thepoints and the signals corresponding therewith or relating theretoaccordingly `as they should be respectively locked or unlocked to insurevthe safe and proper working of the traffic `over the main and branchlines.

In Sheet 3 similar Aletters of reference to those employedyin Sheets land 2 are employed for like or corresponding parts. In this sheet, aswill be lseen more particularly bythe plan view in Fig. l, two wedgepieces are employed, one right-hand and the other left-hand, each beingintended to act. alternately upon each' side of the point or tongue withwhich it is associated. One of the wedge pieces in this instance isformed on the end of the longer reciprocating bar m, while the otherwedge is on the end of a shorter reciprocating bar, and these tworeciprocating bars are connected together and made to movesimultaneously forward or backward to allow ofthe position of the pointsbeing changed, in the manner hereinbefore described; and when the`points have been so moved by the operator,

the wedging or securing firmly is effected by means of the switch-lock,lever in the signalmans box; or if by any chance the points have notbeen carried over suflciently far and hrmly secured in their properplaces, the signal for a trainvto pass cannot be given, and also whilethe trainis passing over the points, the position of the points cannotbe changed.

In Sheet l a reciprocatmg bar is fitted to the inside of the rail, butin this case instead of fitting to or forming upon the one end ofthereciprocating bar, (as before described and illustrated,) a wedgepiece for securing the point or points, the locking of the points ishere effected by means of a sliding tongue upon the one end of -ahorizontal rod connected by means of a vibrating arm or lever and rodwith the reciprocatingbar. The points are connected together by a bar onedge closeto their taper extremities or outer ends or points, and thisbar on edge has two holes or slots therein at a suitable distance apart,so that the sliding tongue of the switch-lock apparatus can only bemoved forward and projected thereinto after the points have beencompletely moved from one position into another by means of thepoint-lever, and are held firmly in their proper position7 and cannot bemoved therefrom, either voluntarily or inadvertently, while the train ispassing over the points, by reason ofthe reciprocating bar. In thissheet, asin Sheet2, there is but one reciprocating bar on the inner faceofthe fixed rail, but there may be two reciprocating bars, and they maybe either both on the inside or inner faces of the rails, or one may beon the inner and the other on the outer face or side of the rail. Thepoints or switches may be moved from one position into another by meansof a hand-lever by the roadside connected to the end of the rod: or theymay be worked as will case, by a lever-handle within a signal-box,77 andbe either unconnected with the movement of other points or signals; ormay, as in most cases we' prefer that it should, be worked in connectionwith point-and-signal interlocking apparatus, in accordance with theseveral -inventions previously patented by us and otherwise well knownand now in general use. i

In Sheet l, where one rod, k, extending from the point lever-handle, isconnected with and operates or sets in motion the two reversedwedge-pieces, t and t', moving the one in one direction and the other inthe reverse direction through the vibrating or rocking shaft p', and thelever-arms r and r thereon, and the points or switches c are moved overby the sameaction or movementof the point-lever and the rod lo and themoving parts f g i, while the `reciprocating' bar m is, by the movementof the points from one extreme to the other through the levers n, rstraised up to the highest point and then lowered to a correspondingdegree onthe oppositeside, in manner before described; ybut should themovement of the point-lever have been insuflicient, or should anyobstruction between the point and the permanent rail have the perfectclosing ot'v the point so that it remains open in the slightest degree,the horizontal surface of the reciprocating-bar m will remain higherthan it should be, and the wheels of the approaching train will, inpassing over the bar m, bring the whole weight of the engine or carriageupon the bar and cause Aone of the wedge pieces to move over the point`and close it securely against the rail.

In Sheet 2 two separate rods and sets of connections are shown, the oneconnected to and with the points to which they are solely dedicated, andthe other is for operating the reciprocating-bar m, with the wedge-pieceat the one end of it, by causing it either to enter between and separatethe movable switchpoint and the xed rail, or by wedging closelythe pointagainst the side of the xed rail, in A each case after the points havebeen set. By this arrangement of the apparatus, and the square end ofthe wedge-piece employed, if

the points should be only half opened or be left A half closed, thelever-handle of the switch-lock apparatus could not be moved over to itsproper position in either direction, and the signal-levers beinginterlocked therewith no signal could be given for a train to pass.

In Sheet 3, two separate or independent rods are shown for moving thepoints and performing the locking or securing of the points,respectively as before described; but the right generally be'theinterfered withl the rail.

and left hand wedge-pieces are, the one, upon a long reciprocating-bar,m, and the other, upon a short reciprocating-bar, both of which areconnected together `and moved back and forward by the vibrating orrocking shaft p, and here the square-ended wedge-pieces secure the sameresults.

Description of the Drawing on Sheet 4.

In Sheet 4, Figure lis a side elevation 5 Fig. 2, a plan or horizontalview; and Fig. 3, au end elevation of one mode ot' carrying ourinvention into effect. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are corresponding views of amodification thereof.

A is a bar of iron, of any required length and size, 'xed at the side ofthe rail, (by preference the rail next to the stock-rail.) This bar isitted so as to be capable of moving on centers by means of the radialbars or arms B B iixed to the rail, and is connected Vto the rod O bymeans of the connecting-rod D an'd crank E. This crank E is connected tothe rod C, which is connected tol the crank K, which is connected to therod F, which rod is connected to the lever for working the points G.When the rod F is acted upon by this lever for the purpose of shiftingthe points G the bar A is caused (through its connection with the rod Cby means of the rod D and crank E) to make a semi-revolution on itscenters of motion B B, and in this manner is caused in its motion, whenunimpeded, to rise above the top of the rail. As, however, the wheels ofthe train are over or on this bar while it is passing over the points,it is obvious that the bar cannot be raised and consequently that thepoints cannot at such time be moved.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 is represented another mode of accomplishing thesame object by means of a bar differently fitted to the side of In thiscase the bar A is mounted on a pivot or center of motion, L, at one end,and has formed at its reverse end two or more notches, in one of whichthe point of the crank H rests. This bar is connected to the points, asshown in Fig. 5, and when the points G are moved as required the pointof the crank H (which is moved at the' same time) is caused to raise theend of the bar A, which, by describing an arc, allows the point of thecrank to pass into the next notch. It will be seen, however, that as thewheels of the train passing over the points are on or over the bar theyoer an impediment to the raising of the end of the bar, and therebyprevent the possibility of moving the points again before the train haspassed over them. We have thus described two modes of accomplishing ourobject of causing the train to lock the points and keep them lockedWhile passing over them, consisting of two different modes of fittingand acting on the bar; and we would remark that the apparatus connectedwith the bar for the purpose may be varied, so long as the bar itself isof greater length than the base of the two pairs of wheels of alocomotive engine or carriage and is fitted to the rail in such a manneras to admit of its being worked in the manner described.

Claims.

1. In the apparatus for working and locking or securing switch rails, orpoints, we claim the combination of wedge-blocks, rock-shaft, and theirconnecting-rods with said rails or points, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with the wedge-blocks, rock-shaft, theirconnecting-rods, and the switch rails or points, we claim the pivotedlocking-bar m, substantially in the manner shown and described, for thepurpose specified.

JOHN SAXBY. JOHN STINSON FARMER.

Witnesses:

WLLLIAM SMITH, O'. E. CHARLES HoDGsoN.

